Multi-level chess board

Abstract

An artistically arranged three dimensional chess set has eight vertically spaced stages, the uppermost and lowermost stage comprising a single square with the stages including progressively increasing numbers of squares toward the center to a total of 64 squares and the upper and lower groups of three stages each defining a totality of sixteen squares. The stages are maintained in spaced relation by a stand which is preferably comprised of a plurality of disengageable members so that the set may be disassembled and arranged in a relatively small container for marketing and storage.

I claim: 
     
       1. A multi-level chessboard comprising: (a) a frame;   (b) eight vertically spaced horizontal stages mounted on said frame;   (c) each of said stages defining at least one playing square;   (d) the uppermost three of said stages together defining exactly sixteen playing squares and the lower most three of said stages also together defining exactly sixteen playing squares whereby the black and white chess pieces may be arranged respectively on the upper and lower three stages, and the two remaining central stages define an initially open field.   
     
     
       2. A chessboard according to claim 1 wherein each of said top three stages defines in a square arrangement 1, 4, and 9 playing squares respectively from the top stage down, one of said top three stages includes a pair of appended coplanar platforms which define the remaining two playing squares of the sixteen squares defined by said uppermost three stages, and said lowermost three stages are radially symmetrical about a point central to said multi-level chessboard relative to said upper three stages. 
     
     
       3. A chessboard according to claim 1 wherein said two remaining central stages each defines exactly sixteen playing squares such that the total number of squares defined by all of said stages combined is exactly 64. 
     
     
       4. A chessboard according to claim 1 wherein each of said eight stages defines a stage square comprised of one or more playing squares arranged in equal numbers of rows and ranks, and each of said stage squares is diagonally aligned relative to the remainder of said stage squares such that one diagonal of each of said stage squares lies in a vertical plane common to one diagonal of each of the other of said stage squares, and each of said stage squares has a center which is horizontally displaced along said central plane with respect to the stage squares immediately vertically adjacent thereto, so that said stage squares are horizontally staggered from one to the next in the direction of said common plane and arranged as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings. 
     
     
       5. A chessboard according to claim 4 wherein each of the upper three and lower three of said stage squares is arranged as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings and has a playing square which is diagonally bisected by said common plane and is the innermost square of the respective stage square relative to the overall chessboard, and the innermost squares of said top three stage squares are vertically aligned and the innermost squares of the bottom three squares are vertically aligned. 
     
     
       6. A chessboard according to claim 5 wherein the third stage from the top and the third stage from the bottom of said multi-level chessboard each defines a stage square of nine playing squares, and each of said nine playing square stage squares supports a platform spaced one square therefrom and defining one playing square vertically aligned with a corner square of the adjacent center stage as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings. 
     
     
       7. A multi-level chess board comprising: (a) A frame having means to support same above a surface;   (b) A plurality of horizontally extended vertically spaced stages;   (c) A plurality of separable members joining adjacent ones of said stages together;   (d) Two of said stages being quadralateral and vertically centered between the remaining stages;   (e) A pair of sleeves separating diagonal corners of one of said vertically centered stages from the respective diagonal corners of the other of said vertically centered stages;   (f) Each of said sleeves having a threaded shaft passing therethrough, said shafts also passing through said centered stages and having threaded end caps secured to the ends of said threaded shafts;   (g) Two generally U-shaped braces secured at their ends by said caps to said threaded shafts, said braces comprising an upper brace and a lower brace and extending from the ends thereof in opposite vertical directions;   (h) Three of said stages being upper stage diagonal above said centered stages and three of said stages being lower stage diagonal below said centered stages;   (i) Said U-shaped braces each having a central vertical bore therethrough and each of said bores having a shaft extended therefrom in the direction opposite said centered stages;   (j) Said upper stages being mounted on one of said extended shafts above said upper brace and said lower stages being mounted on the other of said extended shafts below said lower brace.   
     
     
       8. A multi-level chess board according to claim 7 and including a support base for said chess board, the extended shaft to which the said lower stages are mounted extending into and removably secured to said base.